Woven Travels Journal

What many of us are seeking to nurture in our homes (and in our lives) these days is a deeper sense of connection: an understanding of where our things have come from; a more intimate relationship with the materials and the processes – and the people behind them. A slower and more conscious approach to everything from the food we eat to the ways we furnish and run our homes. A return to the earth.

Whether you’re hitting up some festivals this summer or holidaying abroad, planning picnics and day trips or a spot of wild camping, there’s a basket for every summer escapade.  Even better, some of these top picks are currently in our summer sale!

In basket weaving as in love, two single threads are twined to form one strong bond. Now call us biased, but we can’t think of a more meaningful wedding gift than something handwoven. Whether you’re buying for friends or family or creating your own wedding wish list of independent and handmade treasures, here are some suggestions from us…

Like sliding into a pair of espadrilles or putting on your trusty sunglasses, throwing a basket bag over your shoulder feels like a glorious rite of passage every year. And that time has come around once more: the summer season has officially begun, and after two interrupted summers and endless cancelled plans, we (and our basket bags) are back with a bang in 2022!

End of term and the summer holidays are looming, and class Whatsapp groups up and down the country are beginning to discuss thank you gifts for school teachers. For those heroic teachers who have navigated our children through another tricky year of the pandemic, we want to acknowledge their care and commitment with an end of term present that’s truly meaningful and useful, whether it’s a joint present or an individual gift from your family.

Join us on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th June from 10am - 4pm to shop our colourful clearance sale, full of discontinued lines, slightly imperfect baskets and wonky woven wonders all discounted by at least 50% off RRP. It's a treasure trove!

Look no further for thoughtful and unique Father’s Day gifts – check out our carefully curated gift guide with something special for every father figure you want to honour this Sunday. Plant papas, dog daddies, gardening gurus and outdoorsy types all catered to, and not a novelty (and by that we mean: throwaway) gadget to be seen! Every piece in this collection is woven to last and crafted with care – true modern heirlooms they will love and use for years to come.

Last week we talked about the concepts behind the collection, so this week it feels like time to tell the story of the bags’ production. Basket weaving is naturally the craft that we talk about most at The Basket Room, but leatherwork is another traditional craft we champion, as well as brass work. Read on to find out a little more about the skilled work that has gone into each basket bag once woven in rural Kenya.

Brand new for summer 2022, we are thrilled to bring you The Utopia Collection.  A hopeful project born out of the winter UK lockdown, these luxury Kenyan-made bucket bags, totes and crossbody bags were dreamed up by The Basket Room co-founder Camilla Sutton and British designer Hannah Harrison - whose previous clients include Lulu Guinness, Paul Smith and Jigsaw. 

Fashion on the catwalks and the high street is full of bold colour, fun slogans and brave patterns at the moment and we are absolutely here for it. ‘Dopamine dressing’ is one of the biggest trends to emerge from the pandemic, when we were all missing out on the kinds of happy-making experiences we once took for granted - and we're seeing it in the homes of Tik Tok, Pinterest and Instagram too. 

One of the (many) very special things about our baskets is how versatile they are, and our Ghanaian log baskets are no exception. These tall, open baskets also make perfect laundry baskets – so last year we decided to have some linen basket liners manufactured so that we could sell these baskets as one or the other – or both!